


My Only Sunshine

by wicked3659



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers (Bay Movies), Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:42:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24739423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wicked3659/pseuds/wicked3659
Summary: Watch me dazzle like a diamond in the roughStrut my stuff; my stuff is soShinySend your armies but they'll never be enoughMy shell's too toughSoak it in 'cause it's the last you'll ever seeC'est la vie mon amiI'm soShiny- Tamatoa (Moana)
Comments: 42
Kudos: 61





	1. Shiny

**Author's Note:**

> Deathcomes4u on Tumblr started a Sunstreaker week and I'm a little late but I wanted to join in. This is a collection of little stories about Sunstreaker for this week. 
> 
> Tags will be updated throughout.

“In the washracks again, I see,” Tracks chortled as he stepped into the shower area where Sunstreaker had been minding his own business. 

Barely sparing the mech a glance, Sunstreaker continued to wash his plating until it was spotless. 

The golden mech’s silence did not deter Tracks however, “What no acerbic retort?” Tracks switched on the solution mix and stepped under the curtain of water. “Imagine if you spent even half the time training as you do in here or polishing yourself. Primus, you could have won the war yourself.” 

Resisting the urge to roll his optics at Tracks’ attempts at obvious backhanded charm, Sunstreaker focused on the golden plating of his thighs and arms. “Imagine if flattery got you everywhere. You could have been running the Autobots from your berth by now.”

“Aha, you caught me,” Tracks laughed. “And yes, I would have done a much better job of it too.”

Snorting his disagreement, Sunstreaker began to rinse off the cleaning solutions from his frame.

“You don’t think so?” 

“Oh you’re seriously asking me?” Sunstreaker looked at the mech incredulously. “Well, let’s see, you haven’t charmed me or Sides’ into your berth yet, nor any of the command staff that I know of which is why I think you’re fixated on that human of yours because he validates your ego somehow. So if you’re seriously asking me if you could run anything, I’m going to go with no.”

Tracks scowled at Sunstreaker’s nonplussed response and glared at the golden back of the mech as he turned in his shower. “You think you’re better than me.”

“Don’t think it,” came the disinterested reply.

Plating bristling at the implied superiority, Tracks huffed. “I might be fixated on a human but at least that’s better than being so obsessed with myself I have to clean three times a cycle. You, Sunstreaker, are a narcissist and that is why nobody likes you, no amount of cleaning will help you with that.” 

Sunstreaker vented a soft sigh and turned off his shower. He then stalked over to Tracks who immediately backed into the wall of his stall as the golden mech leant uncomfortably into his personal space. “Tell it to somebot who cares,” was all that Sunstreaker uttered, smirking with satisfaction at the obvious fear in Track’s red face. 

Flustered, Tracks cycled air deeply before shouting after the retreating frontliner, “You might draw optics on the outside but you’ll always be ugly on the inside!” 

Sunstreaker let out a short laugh and gave a dismissive wave, “Still not going to frag you, Tracks.”

“Fragger,” Tracks muttered sullenly as he refocused on the menial task of cleaning this infernal planet’s neverending dirt from his body. 

****

Sideswipe glanced up as Sunstreaker entered the rec’ room and grinned as other bots simply moved out of the mech’s way. Sunstreaker certainly had presence after one of his self care sessions as he had coined them. “Looking shiny,” he greeted his brother as he sat down. At Sunstreaker’s grunt for a response, Sideswipe shrugged and returned to his bookfile. “And as cheerful as ever.”

They sat in silence for a little while and Sunstreaker took a gulp of Sideswipe’s high grade that he had cleverly disguised in a standard energon cube. 

“Yes, please do take my engex that I toiled over all day by all means,” the red mech declared sarcastically, not looking up from his bookfile. 

“Sorry.”

At that Sideswipe did look up, “Sorry? You never say sorry. What’s wrong?” 

“Frag off, I say it plenty,” Sunstreaker retorted. 

“Mmhm, name one other time,” Sideswipe put his bookfile down and folded his arms. At Sunstreaker’s sullen silence, he hummed and pursed his lips. “Thought so. I’ll ask again, what’s up?”

Shaking his helm, Sunstreaker sighed, “It’s nothing, just something stupid that glitch Tracks said.” 

“What did he try to get you into his berth again?” Sideswipe laughed. 

“Yeah, the mech doesn’t take rejection well at all.” 

“That can’t be what got under your plating though,” Sideswipe prompted gently. “What did he say?”

Frowning and glancing absently over the rec room, Sunstreaker didn’t answer straight away. “He called me a narcissist.”

Sideswipe canted his helm, “You’ve been called worse,” he pointed out, wondering why this of all things was playing on Sunstreaker’s processor. 

“I know,” the golden mech admitted, “It just bugged me, he only said it because I was cleaning and for some reason he knows I go to the washrack more than once a cycle.”

Pulling a face at that, Sideswipe shifted in his seat, “That mech really needs to learn about boundaries,” eyeing his brother curiously, Sideswipe continued, “Surprised you didn’t beat him into the deck.”

Sunstreaker shrugged, “I had just finished. You know how long it takes to get the way I like and energon takes forever to wash off!” 

Sideswipe smiled and nodded, “Look, we know your reasons, who cares what he or any of them think. I’m surprised you’re letting this get to you.” 

“I know,” Sunstreaker pouted, “It doesn’t help that Bee said something about my polish last cycle and Primus even Prowl made a comment about my plating being blinding and to be careful.”

“Prowl? Was he okay?” Sideswipe asked in confusion. 

“I think he was trying to make a joke? I don’t know, it was… I was concerned,” Sunstreaker shared a chuckle at that thought with his brother before his mood sombered once more and he sighed. “It just… it would be nice if just one of them noticed and thanked me, just once.” 

Sideswipe’s smile faded and he nodded sympathetically, “Yeah… I know. Can’t let it stop you being a ray of sunshine in their life though,” he added almost apologetically, a faint lopsided smile on his face. 

“You know it won’t,” Sunstreaker relented. “I’m not like that, no matter what they think.”

“Exactly why you are better than them,” Sideswipe stated with a defensive edge to his voice. “Come on, finish my drink and we can go racing,” he grinned. “That’ll cheer you up.”

“Not if you cheat again.”

“I didn’t cheat last time, ugh you’re a terrible loser,” Sideswipe half protested while laughing. 

****

In the gladiator pits, a mech learnt how to survive using any means at his disposal. Sunstreaker had been rather adept at this. He hadn’t just survived, he had thrived because he had learnt how to weaponise his very plating. It was so innocuous a tool that nobody had picked up on it but it had proven extremely effective. Cybertronians, coming from a planet without regular light from a star, had developed sensitive optics that functioned best in low light conditions. 

Noting how bright the gladiator arenas were usually lit, Sunstreaker had developed a method to use this to his advantage. His golden plating was scrubbed and polished until it was immaculate. 

Over time, it earned him the reputation of a mech who was vain, narcissistic and on the verge of being psychotic. Being a viciously effective fighter with good looks and a quiet demeanour didn’t hurt either. Sunstreaker made sure all optics would be on him, he stood out. So when he leapt into a fight, quite literally, the lighting bounced off his gleaming, golden plating and temporarily blinded any mech looking up at him. It was only for a few kliks but that was all he or Sideswipe ever needed. 

Upon arriving on Earth, Sunstreaker had gleefully discovered that this, not really a secret, weapon of his was even more effective. The blinding distraction it provided, however temporary, had saved many of his fellow Autobots, even if they hadn’t realised it. His golden plating complimented the planet’s beautiful golden star. 

Thus, when the Autobots were forced into battle, Sunstreaker had made it a point to be at the front, every time, without fail, ensuring all Decepticon optics would be on him as he charged for them, his plating shining like the sun. 

****


	2. He ain't heavy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sunstreaker through the optics of his brother.
> 
> “ Because brothers don’t let each other wander in the dark alone.” – Jolene Perry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For day 2 of deathcomes4u unofficial Sunstreaker week. 
> 
> Prompt: Brother

Sideswipe always found it strange that he was the one asked what it was like to be brothers with Sunstreaker. He got that the mech had a reputation and took a long time to warm up to anybody and with frequent battles mechs were less inclined to look more closely at those fighting by their side. They all had demons after all. Still, it baffled him and at times saddened him when the same mechs that would share an easy joke with him would make an excuse and leave whenever Sunstreaker appeared. They wouldn’t even try. 

If only they knew the real Sunstreaker, not the mech that the war had forced him to become. Sideswipe knew that they would look at Sunstreaker differently and wished he could shout it from the top of the Ark but Sunstreaker had forbidden it. He sometimes imagined what their faces would look like if they ever found out that they weren’t in fact brothers at all.

****

**Cybertron - A vorn into the war**

The red blur whipped through traffic on the highway without a care. He came close to scratching the paint of some ‘bots but he wasn’t concerned. Racing was what he did best or rather it had been before the war had ruined everything. Wasn’t much call for celebrities when half of your entire planet had taken up arms against the other half of the planet. Sideswipe had found himself without a job and thanks to his frivolous lifestyle with rapidly depleting finances. He had managed to dodge the Elite Guard draught by moving to Kaon. In hindsight, it wasn’t the best decision he had ever made and he was soon on the list of many a loan shark in the city as he skipped payment after payment. His skill for speed, however, had caught the optics of the criminal underworld of the city. That was how Sideswipe made his credits for a little, ferrying drugs and credits and being the distraction for gangs to carry out their real crimes while he lured away the enforcers. 

With the Decepticon forces based in the city, many criminals turned to the former gladiator Megatron to lead them out of the destitution they found themselves in. War came to Kaon quickly and organised crime soon became a thing of the past, leaving Sideswipe once again without a means of making a living. He wasn’t enamoured with Megatron’s speeches either. If he wasn’t going to join the Prime of Iacon he certainly wasn’t going to join that mech who had sworn to take down Prime and the council. This mech had stripped Sideswipe’s life to nothing by fighting the establishment and the red mech held a grudge. 

Petty crime was all he had left and Sideswipe had few moral principles in who he stole from. He could outrun most mechs on Cybertron, except for Blur who had all but disappeared into seclusion once the war had started. Sideswipe was without purpose, without finances, without friends and rapidly running out of fuel when he decided to rob from the wrong mech.

Zipping off the highway at top speed, Sideswipe was sure he had lost his tail. Transforming with a laugh, he glanced over his shoulder and took out the case he had stolen from that purple mech with the single optic. Opening it, he stopped in his tracks, his optics bright. This was more than just credits. It was datapads with formula for Blitz, the new drug that had flooded Kaon and was ravaging its population with an addiction crisis, and a box of crystalline samples with a credit chit that was worth half a million credits alone. Sideswipe looked around nervously, there were 30 credit chits in total. He was rich. This was a jackpot. Except for one very crucial detail. All the datapads and the credit chits were addressed to Lord Megatron. Closing the case slowly, he vented air and rubbed his face. He should, by rights, take this case to the enforcers but Sideswipe was not naive, they were all bought and paid for by Megatron. He momentarily considered leaving the case right there for anyone to find and washing his hands of it but something stopped him. The damage this much Blitz could do was unfathomable to him. He hated it, hated that Megatron and his cronies had played on the city’s impoverished state, got the mechs addicted and stripped them of their finances before giving them a way out by joining the Decepticon party. Sideswipe was out of all options apart from one. It was very likely a death sentence but Sideswipe had never let that stop him before.

****

“You are sure this is the one, Shockwave?” Megatron’s deep tenor rumbled with vague amusement, his gaze fixed on the smaller red mech standing before him. 

“Without a doubt my Lord. He stole the case.”

Sideswipe stood his ground as the massive silver mech approached him. By Primus he hadn’t looked this big on the media feeds. 

“You think you can steal from me and get away with it hm?” 

Folding his arms cockily, Sideswipe grinned widely, “Pretty certain that’s what happened. Clearly you need a mech like me. I’m not just fast either--”

“--No you’re arrogant,” Megatron interrupted evenly. “I already have a mech like you, fast and strong and a proven fighter, unlike you, a washed up celebrity who doesn’t even have full control on what’s going on in his life that he has to turn to petty crime. You’re pathetic, I have no use for a mouth,” he turned away and gestured to his lieutenant stood to one side. “Get rid of him, make an example of him.”

“Yes, Lord Megatron,” came the emotionless voice.

“Now hang on, you might find me arrogant but I did steal from your guy, outrun the enforcers, have most of the criminal bosses in this city on speed comms and know everybody who is everybody in this city. This mouth opens doors, useful if you want to be a drug dealer and have complete control. Let’s face it, you’re not exactly Mr Charming, whereas I look like this,” Sideswipe smirked confidently.

“You’re brazen, I will give you that,” Megatron mused. “Unafraid, that is an admirable trait in my presence. Perhaps there could be use for you yet.”

“Great, when do I start?”

“After you’ve been taught some humility and respect,” Megatron smiled darkly. “Take him to the pits.”

“The pits? Wait, what?” Sideswipe took a step away from the visored blue mech approaching him. “You’re making me fight gladiators, are you insane?”

“It has been considered,” Megatron chuckled. “Where better to teach you a lesson, if you survive."

Sideswipe didn’t bother trying to resist as a strong hand gripped his arm and led him away. “You’ll regret this,” he shouted back, a scowl etched deep into his forehelm. He had seen those gladiatorial matches, they were brutal. Sideswipe could fight but not like that, this was as good as a death sentence and he knew it.

“I very much doubt that,” came Megatron’s nonchalant reply.

****

His first bout was very nearly that, a death sentence. If it weren’t for the quick actions of another gladiator and one of the arena medics, he would have bled out right in the middle of the arena. Now he was in the makeshift medical tent attached to the side of the arena having his arm reattached. 

“You are so lucky to still be functioning, a hand to the left and you would have been in the well,” the medic grumbled with a frown. “Never have I seen such a reckless display, what were you trying to do, kill yourself?”

Sideswipe was feeling groggy from the loss of energon and the pain meds and could barely focus his optics. “Something like that,” he slurred. 

“You are glitched, next time I’ll just leave you to--”

Sideswipe reset his optics as the medic’s angry tirade was cut off by a quiet calm voice. 

“Lay off him. He’s dealing with enough as it is.”

“Hmpff, next time just leave him in the arena to be squashed and don’t play hero. As if I don’t have enough to do.”

The medic finished his work and stalked off still angrily muttering but Sideswipe’s focus was on the other mech who was standing at the foot of his berth. “Who’r’you?” he managed to utter. 

“Sunstreaker.”

“You’re very yellow,” Sideswipe exclaimed blearily. 

The golden mech’s mouth twitched into a smirk ever so briefly. He came over to sit beside the red mech who was struggling to focus on him. “You should rest, the medic’s drugs are strong. You’re safe here.”

“Until I’m out there, then I’m,” Sideswipe made a gesture that signified him dying and laughed. “A goner.”

“From where I was standing, it looked like that was what you wanted.”

Scowling, Sideswipe looked away, his optics dimming. “That’s what he intended… a death sentence.”

“By he, I am assuming you mean Megatron.” Sunstreaker replied. 

“How you know?” 

“You’re not the first, won’t be the last,” the golden mech answered with an edge to his voice. “I didn’t put down your opponent and peel you off that arena floor for you to just throw your life away though. You have some skills, I can help you, if you want to be helped.”

“Why?” Sideswipe stared at Sunstreaker in bemusement. 

“Why not? You look like you could use the help and you were nice to me once.”

“I was?” 

Sunstreaker smiled faintly at Sideswipe’s confusion, “Back in your old life, when being famous meant something. You won’t remember but I do and it meant something to me. When I saw you out there, I wanted to help, you know if you didn’t die.”

“Huh, yeah,” Sideswipe huffed a laugh, then winced as it hurt his badly beaten frame. 

“What did you do that put you in here?”

“I stole from Megatron, then tried to get him to hire me.”

“Why did you think that would work?”

“I’m charming?”

Sunstreaker snorted a laugh, “Right, it’s worked well for you.”

“Well you saved me didn’t you?” Sideswipe retorted somewhat petulantly. 

“Fair point. So what do you say?” Sunstreaker glanced over at Sideswipe. “Going to let me teach you how to fight?”

“Do I have a choice?” 

“Yeah, you could die.” 

Sideswipe pouted, “I owe you my life, what harm could it do?”

“To those that deserve it, plenty,” Sunstreaker smirked darkly. “Get some rest, I’ll be back later.”

From that cycle on, Sideswipe was never without Sunstreaker. The golden mech took him under his wing, taught him how to fight, how to stay alive, defended him from the other gladiators, even when Sideswipe’s mouth landed him into trouble, and together they became one of the most formidable fighting teams in Kaon. Thanks to Sideswipe’s charisma they rose to a certain level of fame within the city. Sideswipe never forgot how often Sunstreaker stood by him, defended him, fought for him though. Even once they had escaped the gladiator pits and Sunstreaker had the opportunity to go his own way when Sideswipe joined the Autobots, he stayed with him, always looking out for him. 

Sideswipe had never had a brother and he could never understand why Sunstreaker had stood by him all those vorns. Yet when he had introduced them as brothers to the Autobot soldier at their recruitment so they could be stationed and share barracks together, he had noticed the intense glow in Sunstreaker’s optics, he knew then Sunstreaker had chosen his family back in that arena. Sunstreaker hardly ever shared his feelings but Sideswipe knew the golden mech already considered him a brother all because of some kind words Sideswipe had said that he couldn’t even remember. It had meant enough to Sunstreaker to save his life and in his way adopt Sideswipe. 

****

Over the vorns he had given up trying to understand it. They were family and Sideswipe only wished the other Autobots could know Sunstreaker like he did. It really wouldn’t take much for Sunstreaker to care about someone, a few kind words and a little validation and the golden mech would put his neck on the line for any one of the Autobots, Sideswipe knew that for a fact. So when he was asked how he could put up with that notoriously unfriendly borderline psychotic brother of his, he just smiled and told them, “How do you know he’s not the one putting up with me? He’s my brother, he would die for me and I would for him. You should be so lucky.”

****


	3. True Colours Shining Through

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smokescreen ends up alone with Sunstreaker after a battle and learns more than he bargained for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For prompt True Colours - 16/06 of the unofficial Sunstreaker week by deathcomes4u on Tumblr.
> 
> I'm running a day behind on the appreciation!

The battle was long and drawn out and had the Autobots scattered across the silicon desert. The Decepticons had effectively broken through their front lines and decimated the ground support, leaving the Autobots scrambling. A small contingent found themselves caught behind enemy lines and stuck in the middle of the unforgiving desert with what seemed like half the Decepticon army between them and their home base. 

“Frag! We’re as good as dead!” one mech cursed loudly, kicking a crystal across the silica flat. 

“Calm down, Gears,” Arcee growled out as she scanned the horizon for any potential enemy scouts. “We haven’t been followed. They won’t even know we’re missing yet, the battle was a mess.” 

“You’re telling me,” Hound put his hands on his hips and peered across the desert. It was cold and getting colder as the sun began to set. “We can’t stay out here in the open though, too close to seeker patrols, they’ll just pick us off from the sky.” 

“And where do you suggest we go?” Gears countered haughtily, “Because back that way, there’s just death.”

“We go there.” 

The small group turned towards the even, steady voice and the golden mech looked back at them. “We go to the mountains.”

“What are you insane?!” Roadbuster burst out. “Wait no sorry, I forgot who I was talking to, it’s Sunstreaker, of course, you’re insane. Go to the mountains, that’s like two cycles walk, will be picked off and shot before then, if we don’t freeze to death!” 

“Well if we transform, we can make it,” Hound pointed out. 

“I’m fine just leave me here,” Smokescreen waved from the ground.

“He’s injured he can’t transform,” Arcee clarified grimly. “We won’t make it to the base in time.” 

“You go ahead, I’ll take him,” Sunstreaker offered. 

“Yeah right, you’ll probably just leave him here to die or use him as a mech shield as soon as you’re spotted, which look at you, it won’t be hard.” 

Sunstreaker moved faster than the others could anticipate and had Gears up by the collar fairing, his legs dangling before Arcee could even touch her weapon. “You don’t know anything about me,” he snarled, his voice dangerously low. 

“I know you’re insane, who’d want to be left out here with you,” Gears grimaced as Sunstreaker tightened his vice-like grip. “Somebody help,” he squeaked. 

“Sunny, come on,” Smokescreen called out. “He’s not worth it, you want to stay out here and die with me, fine.” 

Gears dropped to the ground unceremoniously with a grunt when the golden mech let him go and Sunstreaker made his way over to Smokescreen and crouched down. “You’re not going to die, Arcee, you take the others, get to the mountains, there’s an Autobot communication base there, it’s small but you’ll see it.”

“How do you know that?” 

Sunstreaker sighed, “It’s the route Sides’ and I took when we escaped from Kaon, they found us, saved our lives. They’re there.” 

“Alright,” Arcee relented, “I hope you’re right because if you’re wrong.”

“Then it won’t matter because we'll all be dead!” Sunstreaker bit out impatiently. 

“You’re not really going to believe him are you?” Roadbuster asked disgruntled. “He would sell out his own creator to save his spark. We all know he only cares about himself and that idiot brother of his.” 

Sunstreaker had his blaster drawn and jammed under Roadbuster’s chin so fast the mech didn’t even get a chance to squeak. “Don’t talk about my brother like that,” he growled out, his voice dripping with menace.

“Alright, alright,” Hound got between them, “We’ll go, keep Smokescreen safe. We’ll send help as soon as we can.” 

Sunstreaker glared at Roadbuster who tried to regain some composure as he backed away from the golden mech.

“Try not to shoot Smokes’ while we’re gone, yeah?” Arcee suggested dryly, smirking at the golden mech. 

Sunstreaker huffed and looked away disinterestedly. “No promises.”

Arcee whistled silently and glanced over at Smokescreen she was knelt beside, “Okay, you’re in safe hands, try not to annoy him,” she added quietly before standing and transforming. 

Smokescreen pouted as he watched the four mechs leave. “I thought that was just a permanent state,” he muttered dejectedly before flopping back on the ground. “I am as good as dead.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

Smokescreen online his optics to find Sunstreaker standing over him, looking down at him. “You’re not going to stand there the whole time and just watch me slowly bleed to death are you?” 

The hint of a smirk flitted across Sunstreaker’s mouth. “I had thought about it.” 

“Oh good… he thought about it. Lucky me,” came the sardonic reply. 

“This might hurt.”

“What?” Smokescreen looked up once more in alarm. “What might hurt,” he cried out as strong arms lifted him as carefully as possible and he grabbed onto anything he could as Sunstreaker somehow managed to drape him over his shoulders. “What the frag are you doing!” his voice was high and shrill as he clung onto Sunstreaker’s arm and helm. 

“You need to relax,” Sunstreaker stated calmly. “I’m not going to drop you, I’ve lifted heavier mechs than you.”

“Relax? What are you planning exactly, walking me to the mountains?” Smokescreen demanded in disbelief. 

“No, that’s too far. We’re going back the way we came.”

“Oh wow, you really are insane,” Smokescreen let himself go limp. “Just shoot me now and get it over with.” 

Sunstreaker huffed a soft laugh, “Don’t tempt me.” he paused and added a few kliks later. “Just trust me, you have more chance of surviving this way than you do on a two cycle hike across the desert.” 

“Is there really a base in those mountains?” 

“Yes, they’ll be fine. If they’d come this way, Gears’ mouth would have gotten us all killed.”

Smokescreen laughed a little at that, “Yeah, he does go on a bit.” He fell silent as Sunstreaker began to walk, seemingly with little trouble, in spite of the fact he was carrying a mech almost the size of him across his shoulders. “So what is your plan?” he asked after a short while.

“There was a small crystal cave system we passed during the battle when we were separated out here. There’s a Decepticon camp there, they have medical supplies.” 

“They also have Decepticons,” Smokescreen pointed out. 

“Aware of that.”

“You just going to fight all of them then?” 

Chuckling, Sunstreaker shook his helm. “I’m not actually insane you realise?”

Laughing nervously, Smokescreen shrugged even though Sunstreaker couldn’t see it. “I honestly was beginning to wonder.”

“Yeah, it figures. Well I’m not and I have other skills besides punching ‘cons in the face, I’m not going to let you bleed to death before we can get you real medical help so just trust me.”

Smokescreen felt a little guilty at Sunstreaker’s resigned response. He probably got it a lot. “Don’t really have a choice,” he murmured quietly. “But uh thanks for wanting to help me.” 

“I’m sure you would do the same.”

“Well I doubt I could pick up a ten-tonne front liner, but yeah sure,” Smokescreen quipped in a lighter tone. 

“Hey, come on, I’m not that heavy. Maybe about six,” Sunstreaker retorted with amusement rippling through his field. 

“You’re right, I would drag you.” 

Scoffing audibly, Sunstreaker turned his helm a little to peer at Smokescreen’s almost upside-down head. “I would shoot you in the face.”

“Extreme.”

“Do you know what silica does to your finish?”

“That’s what you’d be worried about?” Smokescreen snorted. “If our situations were reversed and my only option was to drag you or leave you to die, you would be worrying about your finish?” 

Sunstreaker smiled, “We all have our priorities.”

“You’re telling me. I take it back, you are actually insane,” Smokescreen laughed, finding that he was rather enjoying the unexpected banter with the golden frontliner. They travelled until the sun had set in companionable silence as Smokescreen was starting to feel the effects of his injuries and subsequent energon loss. “Sun...Sunny…I don’t feel so good…” he uttered after a while, his tank churning and vision swimming. “Put me down.”

Sunstreaker did as requested and carefully placed Smokescreen on the ground. He scanned over his frame and scowled. Without hesitation he pulled out his energon ration and tore it open, pouring it into Smokescreen’s mouth. “Swallow.” 

“S’yours,” Smokescreen tried to protest but did as he was told anyway, licking the energon from his lips. 

“You need it more.”

“I don’t think I’m going to make it.”

“Yes, you are.” 

“Sunstreaker please, get out of here, I just need a klik… to rest,” he drifted off until a sharp pain across his face tore a yelp from his vocaliser. 

“Don’t you dare. I’m going to pick you up and you are going to keep talking to me, we’re nearly there.” 

“Can’t--”

“You can and you will,” Sunstreaker commanded firmly. He wasted no time in lifting Smokescreen back over his shoulders again and got to his feet with a low grunt of effort. He was tired and his own minor injuries were complaining but he could see the faint light of the camp in the distance. “Talk, Smokescreen, it’s what you’re good at,” he barked out hotly. 

“So charming,” Smokescreen drawled, unable to do much more than limply hang across Sunstreaker’s shoulders. “You know, you could have been at those mountains and safe by now?”

“Not leaving you behind so stop suggesting it.”

“Fine, it’s your funeral too then.” 

“I don’t plan on deactivating, this cycle or the next one. Have you always been this much of a pessimist?”

Smokescreen pouted, “I don’t know, have you always been this much of an aft?”

Sunstreaker laughed brightly, “I suppose I have.”

“Don’t think I’ve ever heard you laugh before,” Smokescreen mused.

“Haven’t had much cause to,” came the honest reply. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m not exactly popular.”

“Well, what do you expect when you push everyone away?” Smokescreen countered somewhat defensively. “You’re terrifying, do you know that? I’m not sure if some mech hurt you in the past or what but you scare everyone away, don’t you ever get lonely?” 

“I have Sides’.” 

“You’re so stubborn if you just dropped this tough mech act, ‘bots might actually start to like you, I mean this hasn’t been the worst possible experience, apart from me bleeding all over your shoulders and a spark’s flash from death.”

“Shut up.”

“No I’m not, Sunny, you could actually have a place with the Autobots if you didn’t scare everyone so much! You deserve that, you didn’t leave me to die and that says a lot about a mech.”

“No, shut up, we’re here. Act dead.” 

“Oh… um alright.”

“STOP!” 

“I’m unarmed!” Sunstreaker shouted back. 

The Decepticon stepped forward and shone his lights on them. “Autobots, what the frag?”

“Don’t shoot. Is there a Decepticon Commander here?”

“This is a scout’s tent, no there’s no commander here, they’re all on the field, ransacking that ‘bot base, that you probably escaped from,” the Decepticon snickered and gestured to his companion who had stepped out of the tent. 

“Good, because we want to defect.”

Smokescreen was gobsmacked and in his groggy state, wasn’t sure if he had heard correctly. “You’re an absolute maniac. I swear if I get out of this, I’m going to shoot you myself,” he hissed angrily before losing the battle to stay conscious.

****

Smokescreen came online to a soft glow greeting his optics, “Where am I?”

“In the ‘con’s camp,” came Sunstreaker’s quiet reply. “You’ve been patched up and you’re no longer bleeding.” he shifted and appeared in Smokescreen’s vision. “You’re going to be fine.”

“Except for the part where you sold us out,” Smokescreen spat out in disgust. “You’re a traitor.”

“Wait,” Sunstreaker backed up a little as Smokescreen sat up and grimaced as he pulled at the weld patches covering his injuries. “You shouldn’t be moving.”

“Don’t talk to me, fraggin’ defector,” Smokescreen was determined to get up and get as far away from here as he could, his processor spinning at whatever pain relief was coursing through his systems. 

“Would you please listen for one klik,” Sunstreaker tried to placate the mech but didn’t want to manhandle him too much in case he tore a weld and started bleeding again. 

“I don’t talk to traitors,” Smokescreen snarled and stepped out of the tent, stopping in his tracks as he was greeted by the sight of several unconscious Decepticons thoroughly tied up and strapped to a large metal radio tower. “What the frag did you do?”

“Well if you would just listen, I could explain,” Sunstreaker threw Smokescreen a smirk as the mech turned back and regarded him with cautious confusion. “I told them we wanted to defect, you passed out. We all got chatting, sharing stories about how much we hate the Autobots, they shared their drinks. It turns out frontliners burn off high grade much faster than scouts do, who knew? They passed out, I tied them up and I stole their medical supplies and called for help, which is on the way. Your friends were rescued from the desert by the way and now here we are.”

Smokescreen stared open-mouthed at the now rather smug-looking golden mech standing before him with his arms folded. “You befriended them!? You?” 

“Not just a pretty face and a mean left hook,” Sunstreaker replied, his smirk growing. “Guess I don’t scare away everyone huh?”

“You’re telling me, wait until mechs hear about this,” Smokescreen exclaimed. “You’ve sure shown your true colours. Self-sacrificing, charms the enemy, carries a mech through the desert on his back. Who knew the scariest terror twin actually had a spark.”

Sunstreaker’s smirk faded and he shifted uncomfortably, “If it’s all the same to you, can we keep this between us?”

Smokescreen was baffled, “But why?”

“It’s hard getting invested in mechs knowing that they might not be there next cycle,” Sunstreaker admitted softly. “I’m built to fight, I’ll probably survive most battles unless they drop a building on me but most of the ‘bots we fight with, they’re not and I can’t do that...it’s too hard,” he looked down at his feet and kicked at the dirt. “And you know a reputation is all a mech has during war,” he added lightly, breaking the mood.

Smokescreen’s spark sank and he nodded, moving closer to Sunstreaker he smiled sadly and placed a hand on his shoulder, “You’ve made a friend here whether you like it or not. I won’t forget what you did here for me.”

“Great, does that mean I get to listen to you tell me how scary I am more often?” he asked sarcastically. 

A wide grin spread across Smokescreen’s face, “Guarantee it.”

“Beginning to think I should have just shot you,” Sunstreaker dead-panned as he helped a laughing Smokescreen limp back into the tent.

“Nah you don’t, you’re too nice to shoot me, I know the truth now, there’s no putting that back in the box,” Smokescreen teased. 

“You know a mech doesn’t earn his reputation through word of mouth alone right?” Sunstreaker pointed out, with a quirked optic ridge.

“Oh alright, I won’t tell a spark how nice you are,” Smokescreen grinned at Sunstreaker’s dubious glare. “Promise!”

****


	4. Soft Spot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sunstreaker has a soft spot, he might have two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For deathcomes4u unofficial Sunstreaker week on Tumblr
> 
> Prompt: Soft spot

“Sunny!” 

The golden mech looked up from where he was drawing on a specially made tablet that Wheeljack had made for him. He was sitting cross-legged on the sofa seat in the rec’ room when Sideswipe’s urgent yell betrayed the red mech’s pending arrival. That could only mean one thing. 

“Sunny, hide me!” Sideswipe barrelled into the rec room, skidded as he turned sharply and launched himself over the back of the sofa, landing in a heap behind it with a thud. 

Peering over the back, Sunstreaker gazed at the red mech, who was trying to remain quiet as he lay on his back.

“I’m okay,” Sideswipe winced.

“Didn’t ask,” Sunstreaker returned to his drawing and waited for the inevitable blare of a siren coming from the corridor. 

“Sunstreaker!” 

Sighing, Sunstreaker lowered his tablet and met the stern gaze of their second in command. “Prowl?” 

“Where is he?” 

“If you mean Sideswipe, I don’t know,” he lowered his optics to his drawing and continued sketching. 

“I know he came in here,” Prowl continued, his sensor panels held high and flared out as he looked around the room. 

“Perhaps that is what he wanted you to think?” Sunstreaker suggested.

Prowl pinned the golden mech with a shrewd gaze, “Sideswipe is adept at subterfuge now is he?” 

Giving a small shrug, ensuring he didn’t come across as too dismissive, he had some respect, after all, Sunstreaker flicked his optics up at Prowl, “He has many skills, plus he is now well-practised in the art of being chased by you.”

“Hmm,” Prowl’s lips pressed together tightly. “Tell him, I want to see him in my office, the second you see him.” 

“Understood,” Sunstreaker replied disinterestedly. “I’m sure he’ll show up sooner rather than later,” he offered casually. 

“It is a waste of my time to constantly have to chase down and/or wait for him so I can discipline him, this needs to stop,” Prowl declared firmly. 

“I can have a word with him but honestly the best way to get Sideswipe to do what you want is by not giving him what he wants.”

“You mean attention? He’s doing all this out of some misguided attempt at attention?” Prowl scowled. “Is he a youngling?”

Sunstreaker smirked slightly, “He has his moments but no actually, Sideswipe loves to get a rise out of others, it’s his specialty. Don’t give him the satisfaction.” 

Prowl regarded Sunstreaker thoughtfully, “Why do you do this?” he asked after a few kliks.

“Do what?” 

“Defend him.”

“I’m not sure what you mean, when you catch us we’re usually at fault, fair is fair.” 

“No,” Prowl turned and stepped closer to Sunstreaker optics studying him with a renewed curiosity.

“No?” 

“No, he is usually at fault, yes but you tag along, you always try to defend him and even when I know for a fact that you haven’t been involved in one of his idiotic pranks, you choose to get thrown in the brig with him. Why?” 

Sunstreaker shrugged, “He’s my brother and he doesn’t do being alone very well for long periods.”

“Wouldn’t that be a good lesson for him to learn then?” Prowl asked, his tone softer and less annoyed. 

Sunstreaker canted his helm as he regarded Prowl, “I don’t think you want him to suffer, Sir and as a former enforcer I also think you get something out of this just like he does.”

Prowl visibly straightened and his sensor panels flicked just once, “We’re not talking about me.”

“Of course not, Sir,” Sunstreaker gave him his most disarming smile. “What I’m trying to point out is it isn’t practical to incarcerate him and have his mental health suffer as a result. He blows off steam, you get to blow off steam and get the satisfaction of catching him, the way I see it, it breaks up the routine a little adds a bit of life outside of fighting all the time.”

Frowning in thought, Prowl nodded and hummed his agreement, “Not to discount your point but my question was why do _you_ do it?” 

Sunstreaker smiled faintly at the question and looked down at his drawing pad, his optics following the sleek subtle curve of a sensor panel up to the texture of a shoulder tire and stop on the point of a chevron, he pressed a button and switched to another unfinished piece, “I get a little peace and quiet for a few cycles while making sure my wayward brother doesn’t go insane.”

“That’s it?” 

Meeting Prowl’s questioning gaze, Sunstreaker gave another small shrug, “I’m a mech with few needs, I get everything I want,” he held Prowl’s azure optic’d gaze for a long moment, the barest hint of a warm smile on his face as he studied the other mech’s face, his keen optics memorising the curve of his lips as Prowl mulled over his words and pursed them in thought.

“Noted,” Prowl answered simply, regarding Sunstreaker with mild confusion one more time, “Do send him to me when you see him.”

“Will, do, Commander,” Sunstreaker answered noncommittally, his gaze lingering on the mech as he swept from the rec room. Sunstreaker looked over his shoulder when he heard movement behind him and met Sideswipe’s indignant gaze. “What?”

“Yeah, what. What the frag was that?” the red mech demanded, swinging himself over the back of the sofa and landing heavily beside the golden mech. “You giving my arch-nemesis advice on how to best me now?”

Sunstreaker snorted and continued to draw, “He’s hardly your arch-nemesis and I felt bad. It's not like I told him you were hiding behind the sofa.”

“Bad? For Prowl?” Sideswipe repeated. “He’s a pain in the aft, in my aft specifically.”

“It’s not like you’re entirely innocent, Sides’ and this is the fourth time this week he’s chased you through the corridors.”

Sideswipe eyed Sunstreaker closely before a wide grin broke across his face. “Oh, I get what this is.”

“You do huh?”

“Yep. You’re sweet on him.”

Sunstreaker pulled a face. “Frag off! You just don’t like that he catches you for every prank and he always finds you and there isn’t any getting away from him or getting past him. You’re just pissed because he ruins your fun, which by the way, isn’t everybody’s idea of fun.”

Pursing his lips, Sideswipe folded his arms and huffed. “Yeah right, you’ve had an authority kink a mile wide ever since--”

“--Don’t.” Sunstreaker warned with one finger in the air. “You know my feelings on that.”

“Yeah yeah, doesn’t mean I’m wrong though,” he grinned unabashed. “Perhaps I’ll go turn myself in and tell him all about it.”

“Right, like you don’t enjoy having him chase you all over the Ark. You would have him chase you all over this planet if you could get away with it. So don’t play that innocent card with me, I know all your secrets,” Sunstreaker rapped Sideswipe’s nose with his stylus before subspacing his tablet. “Now, what did you do, and how much mess am I going to have to clean up?”

Sideswipe smiled like a Cheshire cat, “Oh you know, the usual.”

“You’re terrible.”

“Yeah, you love me anyway.”

“I have a soft spot for you, I would not call it love,” Sunstreaker replied, heading out of the rec room. 

“Is that what you have for Prowl?” Sideswipe teased with a grin, laughing when Sunstreaker threw a rude gesture back at him. “Hey, where are you going?” 

“To turn us in, obviously. You live on the same base you can’t hide from him forever, might as well get it over with.”

Sideswipe chased after the golden mech. “You’re going to get locked up with me?” 

“No, I’m going to try to talk you up to Prowl, he’s going to get pissed and lock us both up, like always because he thinks I’m in on it anyway.”

Sideswipe opened his mouth and his optics brightened mischievously, “You  _ are _ sweet on him!” 

“You say that again, I’m going to punch you in the mouth.”

Laughing gleefully, Sideswipe made a gesture of zipping his mouth closed while grinning like a youngling with a rust stick, his processor already thinking of ways to use this to his advantage. “What do you think a stick up the aft’s type is anyway?”

Growling softly, Sunstreaker gently shoved his brother as they walked, ignoring his snickering, “Don’t start.”


	5. For the Drama

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sunstreaker likes to create drama and nobody is quite sure why. Except for Sideswipe who has had quite enough of this sh**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for unofficial Sunstreaker week by deathcomes4u on Tumblr
> 
> Prompt Day 5: For the Drama

//Prowl we’ve got a situation in the rec’ room, get your aft down here!// 

Prowl was out of his seat before Ironhide had even finished talking and was sprinting down the corridor. //Report.// he demanded urgently.

//I’ll give you one guess.//

//Twins.// Prowl sighed and picked up his pace, yelling at mechs to clear a path as he went. He skidded to a halt at the entrance to the rec’ room and took immediate stock of the situation at hand. Tables and chairs were strewn across the room. Ironhide and Jazz were trying to break up a fight involving Sideswipe, with Jazz quite literally on the red mech’s back while Sideswipe hauled a minibot across a table and was that Wheeljack being taken down by Gears and Huffer? On the other side of the room was an all out brawl between Sunstreaker, the Dinobots and the aerial bots and Prowl wasn’t sure who exactly was winning but it certainly looked like the golden mech was having the most fun from the look on his face as he put down Swoop with one punch. 

Optimus arrived a few moments after he did and stopped next to him. “This is the third time this month.”

“Yes Sir,” Prowl put his hands on his hips and frowned. He blared his siren loudly, causing the brawling mechs to wince and gradually stop fighting. 

When the mechs realised Prime was present, they drew apart and glared at each other. Jazz flopped on his back in a booth with a ‘thank Primus’ while Ironhide grabbed Gears and lifted him off his feet before he could kick Wheeljack who was curled up on the floor. 

Sunstreaker didn’t have to do much other than stand there. The only mech he hadn’t knocked out or put on the floor was Grimlock who looked like he was ready to murder the smaller mech and was barely restraining himself.

“That is quite enough,” Optimus boomed sternly. “You are adult mecha, this behaviour is unconscionable and it stops now. It’s one thing having to fight the Decepticons I will not have you fighting each other. You will receive rations for the next month and you will clean up this mess. If this happens again I will ship you all back to Cybertron and let Ultra Magnus deal with you. Do I make myself clear?”

A murmuring of assent rippled through the disgruntled and injured mechs in the room. 

“Now any bot that isn’t injured can march himself straight to the brig. The rest go to Ratchet and then the brig. Prowl is going to make sure you’re all far too busy to even think about fighting each other. Dismissed.” 

Prowl regarded Optimus curiously as the larger mech turned to face him. “I am, Sir?” at Optimus’ flat stare, Prowl nodded quickly, “Quite right, Sir, I’ll get right on that.” 

“You do that, Prowl. I want a full report in the morning with details of their disciplinary routines.”

“Understood, Prime. It’ll be on your desk.” Prowl let out a soft sigh once Prime had left, it was rare that Optimus got annoyed and Prowl hated that he had been on the receiving end. Scowling at the mechs traipsing out of the rec room, his optics caught those of the golden mech who was one of the last to leave and his frown deepened as his suspicions grew. 

“This is all your fault really,” Sideswipe snarked at Prowl as Ironhide dragged him past the black and white mech. 

Prowl just stared at the retreating mechs with more than mild confusion as he tried to figure out what exactly Sideswipe could possibly mean.

****

Sideswipe sat in his cell glaring at his brother who was a picture of serenity on the opposite berth. “Why do you keep doing this?” he demanded hotly. “Not that I don’t love a good brawl but don’t you think it’s getting out of hand?”

“It’s just getting good,” Sunstreaker replied with a faint smirk. “I think he’s noticed.”

“Half the Ark has noticed!” Sideswipe blurted out in exasperation. “How could he not?”

“It’s not like I held it up on a big sign for him to see.”

Sideswipe’s helm rolled back and hit the wall with a clunk. “I regret not teaching you how to flirt, honest to Primus, I feel like this is my fault.”

“I don’t need your advice on how to flirt,” Sunstreaker pointed out evenly. “Besides it wouldn’t have helped.”

“Oh because you’re insane? Is that why?” came the sarcastic reply. 

“No,” a small smile played across Sunstreaker’s lips as he met his brother’s annoyed gaze. “This is just more fun.”

“I don’t know why I put up with you,” Sideswipe groaned, lying on his berth. 

“Because nobody else puts up with you?” Sunstreaker pointed out dryly. “And you secretly like all the drama too. I think we already established that’s why you prank so often.”

Groaning, Sideswipe turned on his side and faced his brother. “Sunny, I love you but if you don’t just ask him, like a normal sane mech, I swear that when you’re recharging, I’m going to kill you. No worse, in fact, I’m going to strip your finish.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” came the low reply. 

“Oh, wouldn’t I?” Sideswipe just smirked. “Just think about all those pranks I pull off, Sunny, if any bot can get to you and destroy what you hold most dear, it’s me.”

“Why are you spoiling my fun?” Sunstreaker huffed almost petulantly, “I let you prank don’t I?” 

“Sunny, there’s fun and there’s destroying half the Ark and the Autobots in it for slags and frags every other week because you are incapable of pulling out a thread of emotion and telling a mech that you like his af--”

“--Ahem.” 

Sideswipe stopped and peered up at Prowl standing at the entrance to their cell. “Oh hi, Prowl, Sir. Can we go home now?”

“Well, now that depends,” Prowl regarded them both coolly, his hands clasped behind his back. “The rest of the brawlers, have all pointed the finger at one mech who started the fight. You two need only corroborate and I’ll let you go.” 

Sideswipe pursed his lips and sank back down on his berth, glaring up at the ceiling. He wouldn’t snitch on his brother no matter how much he wanted to. 

“I did.” 

The red mech’s helm snapped towards his brother in astonishment and he sat up quickly. “Sunny, what are you doing?”

Sunstreaker stood up and faced Prowl while replying to Sideswipe. “What you suggested.”

“I really don’t think now’s the time,” Sideswipe hissed, his gaze flicking towards Prowl who looked pleased with this turn of events. 

“Sideswipe you may go,” Prowl announced simply. “Sunstreaker with me.”

Sideswipe scrambled to his feet and followed them both out of the cell. “He’s going to lock you up forever if you try something now,” he hissed earnestly. “You do realise that right? I’m sure there’s like a hundred regulations against it or something.”

Sunstreaker just smiled that brilliant, borderline arrogant smile of his and gave his brother a sidelong look. “You were right, I should be honest.”

“I didn’t mean right this instant!” Sideswipe bit out, freezing when Prowl stopped ahead of them and turned. 

“Sideswipe go home, this doesn’t concern you, Sunstreaker is an adult mech and can handle his own disciplinary action.”

“Oh you can handle me, Sir,” Sunstreaker stated pleasantly. 

Sideswipe rolled his optics and shook his helm, “You have the worst timing,” he declared at his brother. “I’ll visit you in jail, where you’ll be living, for the rest of your natural life,” he added cheerfully. “Night, Sir.” 

“Goodnight, Sideswipe,” Prowl answered mildly confused before he glanced at Sunstreaker. “Is he always that dramatic?” 

“Quite, Sir,” Sunstreaker smiled. 

“Alright, let’s get this over with,” Prowl headed into his office and directed Sunstreaker to the chair opposite his desk as he approached it and placed his datapads on its smooth surface. “So we have established who, now I just need to know why you feel the need to tear up the Ark and its occupants so frequently. Is there a medical condition I should be aware of?” Prowl asked dryly as he gazed at Sunstreaker.

“No, Sir. It was all for attention,” he stated evenly. 

“You were bored?” Prowl asked indignantly. 

“No, I wanted attention, very specific attention,” the golden mech explained, his gaze fixed on Prowl, wondering if he would actually have to spell it out for the mech. “From a very specific individual.”

“Who on Earth would be giving you attention for a fight?” Prowl questioned, rubbing the crest of his chevron. “That’s absurd.”

“Not if the individual in question was the one who was always drawn to said fight,” Sunstreaker continued to clarify with an amused smirk on his face. 

“When you’re involved in a fight, Sunstreaker everybody who has the good sense to steer clear, does so if they know what’s good for them,” came the weary response as Prowl picked up another datapad to finish his report to Prime. “I’m the only mech that has to come running to break it up and deal with your mess.” 

Sunstreaker waited, his smile growing and he quirked an optic ridge when Prowl’s helm shot up suddenly and the mech stared at him. 

“Oh…”

“Realised something, Sir?” the golden mech asked demurely. 

“A specific attention,” Prowl started. 

“Aha.”

“From a specific individual…”

“Yes, Sir,” Sunstreaker began to step closer and round Prowl’s desk as the mech looked increasingly flustered. 

“Me,” Prowl swallowed, his optics searching Sunstreaker’s face as the mech drew closer. “I uh… why… why ahem, why mmh?” 

“You Sir?” Sunstreaker finished playfully, as Prowl backed up against the wall, his optics bright as he tried to form words unsuccessfully. 

“I ah, yes. I don’t um…”

“I would have thought that was obvious by now?” Sunstreaker ducked his helm slightly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “I can tell it’s unexpected but,” he reached up and dared to brush the backs of his fingers over Prowl’s cheek. “Is it unwanted?”

“Is it… um… I, I wouldn’t say that,” Prowl stammered, completely out of his depth. 

Smiling brightly, Sunstreaker canted his helm, “What would you say then?” he drew closer and slid his hand around the back of Prowl’s helm. “If say, I were to kiss you right now?” 

Prowl’s intakes hitched and he couldn’t take his optics off the taller mech as he brought his other hand up and his fingertips gently caressed his chevron. 

“Shall we find out?” Sunstreaker asked with a mischievous glint in his optics. 

That was the only warning Prowl got before the golden mech kissed him. Having never been propositioned in such a way before, Prowl was quite taken aback and stilled as Sunstreaker’s lips pressed against his own. It was firm and yet the mech, who was capable of ripping off a limb, was gentle and teasing as he encouraged Prowl to reciprocate with a kitten lick against his lip plating. Giving in to desires he had squashed deep down, Prowl relented and melted into the kiss, earning a low hum of approval as Sunstreaker deepened it into a tender lingering moment. When it broke Prowl ex-vented, a little dazed and met Sunstreaker’s bright delighted gaze. “Why couldn’t you have just asked?” he managed to ask with bemusement. 

Sunstreaker chuckled sheepishly and smiled fondly down at Prowl, who was decidedly adorable when flustered, his intense optics studying his face closely, “Would you have believed me, or would you have thought it was just a joke that we were trying to play on you? Be honest.”

Prowl hummed in acknowledgment of his point. “But to go to all this trouble…?”

Leaning into Prowl’s space once more, he kissed the crest of his chevron and cupped his face in his hands. “If a mech goes to all this trouble, you have no choice but to believe he is quite serious.”

Prowl finally relaxed a fraction and gave Sunstreaker a small shy smile, “And here I was thinking that Sideswipe was the dramatic one.”

Laughing softly, Sunstreaker kissed Prowl again, his engine purring into it as this time the smaller mech returned his affection, if somewhat tentatively. “You have no idea,” he murmured against Prowl’s lips, determined to draw out this captured lovely moment as he reaped the reward for all of his drama.


	6. Berserk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Berserkers are a myth or so we're told.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For deathcomes4u unofficial Sunstreaker week. 
> 
> Prompt: Berserk

_ They had been a myth, a folk tale, stories told to younglings, usually about the enemy, to scare them, to keep them in line. To ensure that fear of the enemy was instilled in our sparks from very young. In growing up and becoming soldiers ourselves, nobody actually ever thought the stories were true. The stories failed us though because we were never scared enough and that arrogance came at a heavy price. _

****

There had been nothing but attacks for cycles. Iacon was well fortified but the defences were taking a battering as were the Autobots manning them. Resources and tempers were stretched thin as the Decepticon forces hounded the last remaining Autobot city. They knew the Autobots were planning something big and were trying everything they could to ensure it didn’t happen. Sunstreaker was tense. He had even been unable to draw which was always his go to for relaxation. He glared out of the palace windows. It was less of a palace now than it was a fortress, their last stand on Cybertron. How had it all gone so badly? He gnawed on his lower lip, an arm folded across his chest, his other hand absently rubbing a helm fin. He had an unsettled feeling in his spark that worse was yet to come. It irritated him that there was nothing they could do but wait for it though. 

“Thought I might find you here,” Sideswipe’s casual cheer cut through the dark room. 

Sunstreaker didn’t respond, he was tense and snapping at his brother never helped. He heard Sideswipe’s careful footfalls as he approached him, making sure not to trip over anything in the dark. “It’s surreal,” he stated when Sideswipe came to stand beside him. 

“The city?”

“The fact that it looks like it always has,” the golden mech scowled and pursed his lips. “Those mecha down there have no idea about the monster banging on their door because Prime thinks it would cause panic.”

Sideswipe clicked and canted his helm a little, “He’s probably right,” he offered hesitantly. 

“Doesn’t make it right, to keep those mechs in the dark. They should be given a chance to arm themselves, to prepare.”

“Prepare for what?” Sideswipe asked quietly. “For war? Those mechs aren’t soldiers.”

Sunstreaker turned around sharply, “Prepare for death then,” he snapped. “Every mech deserves the right to meet death on his own terms. On his feet, not cowering behind city walls.”

Falling quiet, Sideswipe watched his brother with a small frown. Reaching out he touched Sunstreaker’s arm, “You okay?”

“No, I’m not okay! None of us are okay, Sides’,” Sunstreaker flinched and shook his helm, looking down at the floor. He ex-vented deeply and looked up once more. “I’m sorry, I’m just on edge, I feel uneasy,” he wrapped his arms around himself and frowned. 

“I’m feeling that,” Sideswipe replied somewhat lightly, “Have you managed to get some recharge?” 

“Not since the last skirmish, at least we handed their afts to them there.”

Nodding his agreement, Sideswipe gave a squeeze of Sunstreaker’s arm, “Small victories right?” 

Sunstreaker met his brother’s hopeful gaze and gave a small smile, “Right.”

“Get some rest, we got a briefing in a couple of cycles.” 

“For the evac?” 

Sideswipe nodded somberly, “Prime called it at Prowl’s insistence, never thought I’d be routing for that pain in the aft but he’s right.”

“Yeah,” Sunstreaker agreed, “It’s time.” 

“Come on, sunshine,” Sideswipe draped an arm over Sunstreaker’s shoulders and led him from the room. “I’ll tuck you in, read you a berth time story.”

“You’re an aft.”

“I am not hearing a no.”

****

_ It was as awful a meeting as we had expected. Soldiers were being sent to the walls of the city, a distraction so the evac ships could escape. It was carnage. They had had mechs, spies on the inside, they knew too much. They picked them off one at a time. We didn’t know what hit us. Then that hospital ship went down. We couldn’t fight and pull bodies out of the wreckage. Our line was broken and the cavalry was just too far away, they wouldn’t make it in time. Seeing those people, those bodies, I think that’s what did it. We can never really know for sure.  _

****

Screams filled the air as mechs crawled over the rubble of the downed ship and the building it had crashed into. Sunstreaker felt overwhelmed as he scrambled over the debris and pulled whoever he could find out of the burning remains of the ship. He could hear weapons fire in the near distance, the Decepticons were drawing closer. He yelled at Roadbuster and Road Rage to check the other side of the building and he spotted Ironhide across the street barking out orders. His optics darted around, where was Sideswipe? He searched frantically, worry curling around his spark. Sideswipe had been the first to notice what the Decepticons were doing and had broken the line to run back, to try and stop the evacuations. Sunstreaker had sprinted after him but they’d gotten separated as the hospital ship was shot down by seekers screeching overhead. 

After a few kliks of frantic searching and hollering his brother’s name, he finally found the red mech. Sideswipe was kneeling in the middle of what had been a deck of the ship, stripped open and laid bare upon impact with the buildings of Iacon. Sunstreaker approached cautiously and placed a hand on Sideswipe’s shoulder. He felt the mech tense at his touch, “Hey, I’ve been calling you, I was worried.” he stopped as he rounded his brother and his mouth opened in horror, his optics bright. 

Sideswipe slowly looked up from the broken sight in his arms. “Do you remember a few cycles ago,” he spoke softly, his voice shaken. “We went to visit the younglings at the hospital, I remember,” Sideswipe paused and pressed his lips together as he looked back down, cradling the broken body a little tighter. “I remember Ratchet explaining how they had um, gathered all the younglings together, they were going to be evacuated first but but, the plans changed, last cycle, I remember. They couldn’t have known unless they were there in that meeting.”

Sunstreaker crouched down and reached out a hand to his brother only for it to fall short. “I remember the visit, and the younglings and the meeting, sure but…”

Sideswipe let out a choked laugh and a sob and looked up at his brother, his face stricken with an expression, Sunstreaker had rarely seen on his brother. “You hated it,” he laughed. “But I saw you smile, when they laughed,” his smiled faded and he stared past his brother, his vents hitching. “We were betrayed, Sunny, they knew… they targeted this ship first, made sure to bring it down. They knew exactly where to hit us…”

“They couldn’t have known, not unless--”

“Exactly!” Sideswipe shouted, cutting Sunstreaker off. “They’ve infiltrated us and they know we can’t trust any… Jazz, when he came back it all started to go wrong… they must have got to him, Sunny,” he swallowed hard. “They were the last, Sunny, I remember Ratchet saying, there’s no more. No more younglings… they took the future away from us, their future.”

Sunstreaker didn’t know what to say, “I’m going to get help, okay? Just wait here,” he insisted, getting to his feet. He didn’t hear the crack of the shot nor feel the pain. His body just suddenly felt warm and he looked down slowly to where his hands were pressed against his abdomen. “Sides’...” his mouth couldn’t form any more words and he dropped to the ground, his intakes catching, his optics staring blankly up at the sky, seeing only red as the city burned. He heard his name being yelled and screaming, Primus so much screaming. He saw Sideswipe’s face appear above his own and he tried to speak to him but he couldn’t. Sideswipe’s mouth was moving but he couldn’t hear the words and he just reached up to cup his brother’s cheek before the world went dark. 

****

“Sun…”

It was irritating and constant, but far enough away that he could ignore it. 

“Sunny!” 

Grimacing, he turned his helm and fought the sound, he wasn’t ready to wake up yet. 

“Sunstreaker! Wake up, fraggit!” Ratchet hollered, slapping the golden mech hard across the face. 

“Was that really necessary?” Prowl asked with a frown. 

Sunstreaker groaned and his optics flickered online. 

Ratchet gave Prowl a look that said I told you so which Prowl ignored. “Sunstreaker, do you remember what happened?” 

“I was, going to get help, Sides’ he found… he found the younglings, oh Primus, Prowl you got to do something.”

“There’s nothing to be done, kid,” Ratchet held him steady while he finished patching up the weld. “He’ll be alright, give him a ration.”

Prowl did as he was instructed and helped Sunstreaker sit up with a cry as he forced him to ingest the energon ration. “What happened next?”

Sunstreaker frowned, “I stood up and,” he looked down. “I was shot.” 

“We almost lost you, we thought you were already a goner when we got here,” Ratchet explained. 

Sunstreaker looked around and the city was eerily quiet. “How long was I out? What’s happening.” 

“We were hoping you could tell us,” Prowl helped Sunstreaker to his feet. 

Staring at the smaller mech, Sunstreaker looked between him and Ratchet, “Where’s Sideswipe?” he demanded urgently.

“Did he say anything to you?”

“He said we were betrayed,” Sunstreaker spat out. “He thinks there’s someone on the inside. Tell me what’s going on, Prowl, where’s my brother?” 

Prowl shared a worried glance with Ratchet, “Come with me.” The black and white turned on his heel and marched quickly through the ruined streets, he broke into a run when he reached the Autobot ground camp in the grand lobby of the palace.

Sunstreaker frowned as mechs stopped what they were doing and stared at him with mixed expressions of shock and fear. It was unnerving. “Prowl what the frag is happening?” he grabbed the mech’s arm and halted him in his tracks. Stilling when several mechs around him suddenly had their weapons drawn and aimed at his spark. “Whoa,” he immediately let go of Prowl’s arm and stepped back. “Prowl, I’m a little scared here, I’m not going to lie.”

“Everybody calm down, he’s fine, it’s fine, put your weapons down,” Prowl raised his arms to placate the very nervous crowd and carefully shepherded Sunstreaker to a makeshift office. “Play it,” he ordered when they stepped inside. 

Trailbreaker obeyed instantly and pressed the button on the computer. The 3D holo image rose up from the desk and Sunstreaker watched with growing horror as the city’s surveillance and Autobot sentry drones pieced together what had happened after he had been shot in the back. A flash of black and white blurred behind him and Sunstreaker could only watch as Sideswipe, thinking him deactivated, flew into a rage unlike anything Sunstreaker had ever seen. His spark clenched in his chest as he watched Sideswipe tear through con after con with his bare hands and sometimes the mech’s own weapons as he fought through the line towards the wall, even taking out Autobots and civilians in his path, Sunstreaker couldn’t tell if it was all fatal or not. He grimaced at a particularly harrowing image of Sideswipe physically removing a mech’s helm and then beating the next mech with it before discarding them and marching on. 

“Oh that stupid son of a glitch,” Sunstreaker buried his face into his hands and sank into the nearest chair. 

“You know what this is,” Prowl stated quietly. 

“He promised he hadn’t, I didn’t want him to. We were gladiators you see and we always had each other’s back since. The first cycle we bought our freedom, we were mugged. It was a petty crime, not targeted but I, I got hurt really badly and Sides’ he blamed himself, said he wanted to be able to protect me as I had him in the pit,” Sunstreaker met Prowl’s dispassionate gaze. “It’s a berserker mod. I thought I’d talked him out of it,” he hung his helm in despair. 

“You thought wrong,” Prowl stated. “Warn Jazz, get him out of there,” he pointed at Trailbreaker. 

“Yes Sir.” 

“Prowl,” Sunstreaker stood up and straightened. “He was triggered because he thought I was dead, killed by a traitor who caused all this. Shouldn’t that traitor get what’s coming to him?”

Prowl met his gaze and the edges of his hard glare softened minutely, “Sunstreaker, Sideswipe has the wrong mech. Jazz is our spy, we have been feeding misinformation to the real spy, we have him in custody, we have him on video shooting you in the back, it was Counterpunch, the divisionary chief of tactics.”

“Then the younglings?”

Ratchet spoke up, “They were shells, kid. The ship was a decoy. We evacuated most of the citizens underground over the last several cycles. They’re far away and very safe,” he assured a stricken Sunstreaker. 

“But that means--”

“--He’s going to kill an innocent mech, yes.” 

“We need to know how to stop him,” Ratchet added gently. 

Clenching his fists tightly, Sunstreaker shook his helm. “You don’t, I do.”

“Sunstreaker now is not the time to play hero--”

“--Prowl with all due respect he’s my brother. I’ll be the one to take him down,” he held firm as Prowl balked subtly at Sunstreaker’s intent. 

“You mean to kill him?” Ratchet asked with a frown. “There’s got to be another way?”

“It’s a berserker mod, he gets his target or he dies trying,” Sunstreaker insisted. He looked back to Prowl, “I need a roof near to Jazz’s location and a sniper rifle, get everyone else out of there, he’ll go through them to get to Jazz,” he stepped closer to Prowl and met his bright concerned gaze, “You’ve seen us fight, Sir, we’re the best you’ve got, they can’t stop him but I can.”

“Get him a gun,” Prowl commanded somberly, holding up a hand to silence Ratchet’s protest. “If you can make the shot non-lethal but still bring him down, we will do everything we can to try and save him.”

Sunstreaker nodded mutely. He knew better than most that there was no getting a mod like that out of a bot’s processor without scrambling them first. Sideswipe would prefer it this way. He was doing him a favour.

****

The rifle’s sight could pick up Jazz at the final outpost. The mech had a self destruction streak the size of the crystal valley and it had been no surprise to Sunstreaker that he had insisted on remaining as bait. Sunstreaker lowered his optic to his sight and waited. Shouts of alarm and gunfire could be heard as Sideswipe reached the mechs that hadn’t gotten the message to clear out or Decepticons who hadn’t had the good sense to know when they were beaten and retreat. He armed his weapon and felt the plasma charge building inside. Tritanium encased plasma charges were devastating upon impact, leaving a mess on the inside and a neat hole on the outside. 

A flash of red and Sunstreaker went very still, hearing nothing but the steady thrum thrum thrum of his spark. Sideswipe was barely recognisable, his frame dripping with energon and injuries. Yet he was still running strong. He heard Ratchet’s voice for a klik telling him to aim for the spinal strut between the spark and the helm. Sunstreaker took aim as Sideswipe let out an energon curdling scream and began sprinting towards Jazz who had already seen him and was preparing to fight. Time seemed to slow down as he vented slowly and memories of his life with Sideswipe by his side flashed through his processor. They had always had each other’s backs and he always would. “Forgive me, brother,” Sunstreaker whispered as he squeezed the trigger and the shot zipped out of the rifle with a sharp crack, travelling faster than the speed of sound before it hit its target with a sickening pop, dropping the red mech in his tracks.

**** 

_ I never asked how Ratchet did it, I know now why he’s called the miracle worker. He never gave up on him. He had to be rehabilitated and he was not okay for a long time. It still haunts him, the flashbacks. It’s still inside him, we don’t know what the trigger is, what triggered him the first time. It’s a ticking time bomb but this time we’re prepared. We have a kill switch, he knows, it was his idea, the sadist. I’m the only one he trusts with it, even though I’m the one who shot him in the back. I still feel guilty about it, especially when he gives me that stupid, lopsided smile of his like he knows all my secrets and tells me to stop worrying, that he has my back. I don’t know where I would be without him, all I know is he’s my brother and no matter what happens, I’ll have his back too and we’ll go together. _


	7. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The past seems to follow Sunstreaker wherever he goes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last of the prompts for deathcomes4u unofficial Sunstreaker week on Tumblr. Apologies for the delay, I had no internet last night. 
> 
> Prompt: Trust

Staring out into space, Sunstreaker absently petted the insecticon that chirred quietly beside him. Glancing down at the creature, recharging soundly without a care in the universe, Sunstreaker smiled and returned his gaze to the stars.

He had been on the Lost Light now for several cycles and even now the others would make excuses to not be around him. Rodimus himself hadn’t been too happy when he had boarded, Sunstreaker couldn’t blame them really. Not after his betrayal of them back on Earth. It seemed like so long ago now and Sideswipe had insisted that he had more than paid his dues by sacrificing himself to save them from the swarm on Cybertron. Still, the guilt of it lingered in his spark, a dark shadow of regret he could never erase and nobody would let him forget. He had holed up in the lower decks of the Lost Light for a while now, keeping himself to himself, Bob being his only companion, most cycles. 

Sunstreaker let himself drift off, sat at the starport viewer until something rocked the ship violently, sending him and Bob tumbling to the floor in a heap. “What the frag?” he uttered when his already dark space was plunged into pitch black. Looking around, Sunstreaker switched on his headlights. He could hollers of alarm from the upper decks but pointedly did not reach for his weapon. Turning to the viewer he noticed they were listing to one side and the ship had begun to drift or was being pulled in a direction the pilot hadn’t intended. Warring with himself, Sunstreaker looked at the exit and down at Bob when the insecticon batted at his lower leg. “Don’t look at me like that, they don’t want my help.” 

The insecticon whined and its four optics peered up at Sunstreaker in the dark. 

Holding its gaze, Sunstreaker pressed his lips together tightly, “You’re not making me do this. No, they can handle it just fine.” He turned away putting his hands on his hips. Then the ship lurched again, causing Sunstreaker to stagger into a bulkhead and there was definitely the sound of a distant explosion. He met Bob’s gaze and pulled a face. “Oh alright, fine, but don’t say I don’t do anything for you.” Sunstreaker huffed and unsubspaced his weapon. “You save an insecticon once and they just keep making you pay,” he muttered as he stepped cautiously out into the corridor, looking both ways before heading off into the darkness, Bob hot on his heels. 

****

Reaching the main deck, Sunstreaker grabbed Chromedome who was going somewhere in a hurry, “What’s going on?” 

“We don’t know, there was an explosion and we tried contacting the bridge but no response.”

“You’re going to the bridge?”

Chromedome shook his helm. “No, I'm going to find Rewind, he thinks we’re being boarded and headed off to the cargo hold.” 

“That doesn’t make any sense, why would the bridge be on radio silence if they were coming in through the cargo hold?” Sunstreaker demanded. 

“Look it’s just what I heard alright,” Chromedome yanked his arm back. 

“The bridge crew could be in danger, we need to go there now,” the golden mech insisted. 

Chromedome shook his helm, “Rodimus and Ultra Magnus are up there with a dozen mechs, they can handle it.”

Sunstreaker rubbed his helm, “We’ve lost contact with them, the first thing we should do is find out where that explosion was and how much damaged was caused.” 

Chromedome looked around as Swerve, Drift and Cyclonus appeared. “Who died and made you the boss?” 

Glaring at the visored mech, Sunstreaker growled, “If we don’t find the explosion site we don’t know how bad things are, we could be breached already and they will be coming on board right now as you stand here arguing with me. We also need to get hold of the Captain as a priority as he has all the codes to the ship. If we are being boarded, that’s who they’ll target first.”

“He’s right,” Drift stated quietly. “We can work in teams.”

“Finally, someone listening to reason,” Sunstreaker uttered impatiently. “I’ll go to the bridge, make sure they’re alright.”

“Like we’re going to trust you on the bridge,” Chromedome spat out. “You could be behind this for all we know.”

“What in the name of Primus would I gain from that?”

“You rescue us, get to look like a hero, it’s a classic saviour complex. Create a problem you can fix so that others will start to trust you. Trying to reclaim what you lost.”

Sunstreaker stared with bright optics at the mech and flicked them off for a klik before shaking his helm with disbelief. “We don’t have time for this. I don’t give a frag whether you trust me, by the time you’ve gone to the cargo hold to check it out the Captain could be dead. I’m going.”

Chromedome met the others’ gazes and shook his helm, “He can’t be trusted,” he repeated earnestly. “You heard what Rodimus told us about him.” 

Rolling his optics, Cyclonus drew his sword. “Be that as it may, he is right and he was a commander, I presume that means he knows what he’s doing. I’ll go with him, you three look for the explosion site and do what you can to seal it.”

Swerve held up his hands, “Whoa, don’t rope me into all this, I’m just tagging along because my bar is covered in glass.”

“Go.” Cyclonus commanded, sprinting down the dark corridor after the golden mech as Drift led the others in the opposite direction, pointedly trying to ignore Chromedome’s insistence of Sunstreaker’s untrustworthiness. 

****

Sunstreaker cast a sidelong look at the purple mech walking silently beside him. “Thanks for vouching for me,” he stated after a short while. 

Cyclonus' expression did not change, “I was merely stating facts. I do not know you well enough to pass judgment.”

“Yeah well, I’m sure you’ve heard the stories.”

This time Cyclonus did meet his gaze, his red optics glowing eerily in the darkness, “In case you hadn’t noticed, I am a former Decepticon, I am quite sure you have also heard the stories.”

Sunstreaker didn’t have a response to that and followed the mech into the elevator shaft. “How far up?” 

“Two decks, we will have to climb.” 

“Great,” Sunstreaker turned and crouched down to Bob. “Go through the vents, get to the bridge, help them.” 

Bob chittered, nuzzled Sunstreaker’s hand and skittered off into the dark. 

“It understands you?” 

“Mostly,” Sunstreaker straightened. “When he chooses to listen.”

“And it does what you tell it?” 

Sunstreaker huffed a short laugh, “Again if and when he listens. He is a wild insecticon, he’s just docile. I saved his life so he trusts me.” he climbed into the shaft and began to climb up towards the bridge. 

Cyclonus followed behind him, bemused by the interaction. “I suppose he has not heard the stories then.” 

Smirking at the dry comment, Sunstreaker clicked his glossa once with amusement. “I suppose not.” 

****

Reaching the bridge entrance, Sunstreaker offered Cyclonus a hand and they paused outside the door listening carefully. 

“I can hear talking, and a thunk thunk thunk,” Cyclonus whispered. He frowned and met Sunstreaker’s optics. “Someone is being punched.”

“On three?”

Cyclonus readied his sword and gave Sunstreaker a nod. The golden mech shot the door release and the door opened, bathing them in dim light as the charged into the room, immediately dropping and rolling to the sides to avoid blaster fire. 

“They want the ship! They’re pirates, gaah!” Rodimus yelled out, grunting with pain as he was struck across the face. 

Sunstreaker peered around his hiding spot. Ultra Magnus and Rodimus were tied up and sat in the middle of the bridge with the rest of the bridge crew as a strange mech was trying to break the computer lockout at the helm. He held up four fingers to Cyclonus to show how many intruders he saw. Cyclonus looked to the other side and held up five fingers. Sunstreaker heard skittering above them and gestured to Cyclonus who nodded. When Bob sprang down from the vent with a snarl and landed on the mech closest to Rodimus, Sunstreaker and Cyclonus made their move. 

Launching himself bodily at the mech on the helm, Sunstreaker knocked him out before he could even lift his weapon. He then shot another mech rushing for him with his gun. Bob was handling the ring leader and Sunstreaker petted him as he raced past and tackled another mech to the ground. 

Cyclonus made short work of his two mechs, running them through his sword. The last bigger mech, sent him flying across the bridge, tumbling into Sunstreaker. Standing back to back, they squared up to their now four approaching assailants.

“We seem to be outnumbered,” Cyclonus muttered. 

“Better even the odds. Give me your sword and when I say, drop.”

“Drop your weapons, we’ve got you now.” Snarled one of the mechs, his blaster raised. “If you value your sparks.” 

“No can do, now!” he yelled. 

Cyclonus dropped to a crouched position and Sunstreaker flipped backwards, swinging the sword into the nearest mech as the other mech opened fire too late. “Catch!” Sunstreaker yelled, tossing the sword to Cyclonus who whirled around and ran it through the biggest mech without hesitation. 

Sunstreaker was grabbed by the second mech and they fell to the ground, wrestling for the mech’s weapon. Gaining the upper hand, the mech pinned Sunstreaker to the deck and put the gun to his helm. An angry growl and a purple blur came out of nowhere and the mech suddenly screamed as insecticon pincers pierced his arm. Wasting no time, Sunstreaker grabbed his weapon and pointed it at him. “It’s over!” 

The bridge door suddenly burst open and Drift with a contingent of mechs armed to the teeth rushed in, stopping short at the sight. Drift raised his optic ridges in surprise. “It looks like you have everything under control.”

“No thanks to you guys, where the frag were you?” Rodimus yelled. Sunstreaker and Cyclonus shared a glance as the purple mech untied them. 

“We found the explosion site,” Chromedome answered reluctantly, “You were right, Sunstreaker, they rammed us and were boarding us near engineering but we took care of it.” 

Rodimus turned to Sunstreaker who handed the captain the intruder’s weapon, “I suppose I should thank you.”

Sunstreaker’s mouth twitched into a half-smirk before he stepped closer to the red mech, “Don’t put yourself out.” He then whistled to Bob who padded to his side and the two strolled off the bridge, the other mechs parting to let them pass. 

****

Sunstreaker had tidied up the mess the pirate attack had caused in his living area. Considering it was an unused cargo hold, it didn’t take much. He sat in his usual spot with Bob at his feet and started suddenly when footsteps approached. 

“I did not mean to startle you,” Cyclonus held up a hand apologetically. 

“Sorry, don’t get many visitors down here,” Sunstreaker sat up and regarded the purple mech curiously. “Are you uh… lost?”

“No, I brought you this,” Cyclonus held out a bottle of highgrade and two cubes. “Join me?” 

“You want to have a drink with me?”

“Is that a problem?” 

“No, just surprising.”

Cyclonus came to sit beside Sunstreaker and poured out the high grade, offering one cube to the golden mech. He watched as Sunstreaker accepted it hesitantly and canted his helm. “It is not poisoned.”

“I don’t think that,” Sunstreaker replied somewhat defensively. “I guess I’m just not used to company is all and mechs being nice to me without you know, wanting revenge or something.” 

“That is a lonely way to live.”

“Yeah well, got nobody to blame but myself.” 

Cyclonus looked down as Bob pawed his leg and whined. 

“Oh you should probably let him have a bit otherwise he’ll just embarrass himself,” Sunstreaker smirked. 

He poured a little into the insecticon’s bowl, watching with amusement when Bob began slurping it up, his armoured rotund frame wiggling happily, before turning back to Sunstreaker, “Trust that a mech has your back in a fight, does not come easily,” he started evenly. “Nor does the trust that a mech will not irritate you into killing him when sharing a drink. Or rather it does not come easily to me. Stories or not, trust has to begin somewhere,” he held up his cube with a barely visible smile. 

Sunstreaker ducked his helm with a grateful smile of his own and clinked his cube with Cyclonus’ in thanks. 

“You fought well, where did you learn?” Cyclonus continued casually. 

Huffing a laugh as he sipped his high grade, Sunstreaker grinned, “That’s a long story.”

Cyclonus regarded him with interest, “I appear to have the time.”

****


End file.
